Show THEATRES THEIR air INFLUENCE LUENCE I 1 egr GOOD OE OR FOE FOR EVIL v A recent visitor to our gur el city ty NV hepworth dixon in de scanting upon the mormon theatre in his new nehame now america says in new york in st louis to in chicago no body would assert that the stage Is a school of virtu 0 that acting Is a profession sober fibbe r zaan xann would like ilke his daughter to adopt an odor of vice as of a pois poisonous onous weed infects the air of a playhouse play house everywhere though nowhere less offensively than in american towns in contrast with this he says respecting the theatre in this city 1 everything in front of the footlights Is in keeping peace and order reign in the midst of tun sun and frolic but the chiet chief beauties of this model playhouse llo lie behind the scenes in the ample space the perfect light th the scrupulous cleanliness of every part I 1 am pret prex pretty well weli e a acquainted with green rooms and aido aldo wings inglin in europe drope but I 1 have never seen not to in italian or austrian theatres theartres the atres so many dell cate arrangements for the privacy and comfort of the ladies ladles and gentlemen as atsatt at salt sait lake mr dixon is not the only person who has made favorable comments on the tile mannar manner in which the theatre in this city is managed no unprejudiced reflecting person who visits the build ing nd sits bits through an evenings performance form for mance i ance can fail to be struck with the difference between the manner of conducting amusements here and elsewhere here vice is not fostered by the influence of the theatre evil associations do not chister cluster around it but budwith with in its walls religious feeling is found to be compatible with true pleasure in other cities the theatre theadra may be an unfit place for moral people and their children to frequent but this is not tile the case here we alluded yesterday to h the e change that had taken place of late years in the tastes and habits babits of the of this bomm community unity much of this change is directly traceable to the influence of the theatre good manners proper deportment correct pronunciation and taste in dress have all been taught from its boards its influence upon society here has been more powerful than is ls generally conceded or understood der stood it has been a powerful riu auxiliary X illary in the education of the people and under judicious management the lessons taught from its stage can be made largely to contribute to their improvement pra pro and elevation religious el ivious teachers in other communities have made a great mistake in iii separating themselves from the amusements of the people they have endeavored deavo red to enforce rules which have been too rigid for the weak human natura they have had bad to deal with to livelar live ilvo up to men and abd women must have relax relaxation relaxant at lon ion and amusement they are wants of their nature which cannot be Igi ignored lored priests may endeavor to repress these desires and in some instances they may succeed but there are natures upon whom their system sion slon has haa no other effect than to drive them into open antagonism they prefer the frown and displeasure of their ministers to the sacrifice of their to them rational amusements now if instead of standing aloof from these amusements and suffering them to regulate themselves religious teachers would recognize the necessity for thein them and endeavor to control them the results would be infinitely better their presence at such places and the exer exercise bise of a healthy influence would have the ifie effect to correct the evils connected with theatres theartres the atres of which they so loudly and yet so im potently impotently complain this has been the course adopt ed here and tho the results have been thus far fai most admirable shortsighted short sighted i people may at one time have doubted the propriety of erechin erecting such a large and costly place of amusement amii amil kement as our theatre but time lias has vindicated the proprietors wisdom lir tir in erecting it and furnishing its stage so elegantly it has not paid as a financial ancial speculation this was not the object for which it was built it was built as a public necessity and for the public good indeed the erection of theatres theartres the atres and opera hous houses Cs is not a paying financial operation anywhere managers sometimes make money but theatre owners never in many places they are built as ornaments n ants city elty and town pride prompts thein their heir h erection wealthy men desire an elegant place of resort for their families and themselves and to which they can ake lake ako their friends who visit their cities the benefits which this city has derived from the tho theatre are immense if it had not been built we can readily imagine number of table places of amusement aou ld have sprung up here like our neighboring cities which are cursed with such tion swe bave have had a transient population who would have patronized them this though bad would not have been the worst feature connected with their existence the tho youth of both sexes through their inexperience woula would have been exposed opposed to the contagion of vice and many might have been lured to destruction attempts have nob not been wanting to establish and run such places but they have been in every instance signal failures the contrast between their accommodations and attractions and those of the theatre were too great and they have succumbed Icum bed we may allude taj t this subh act again 0 |